Starting from a critique of the latest varieties of capitalism literature that concentrates mainly on the argument of macro-economic structures influencing State answers to the economic and financial crisis in Europe, this paper develops an actor-centred approach, focusing on power relations between administrations and civil servants in order to understand how public policies adapt and change in times of austerity politics. The position of winners and losers can be better understood with a focus on meso-and micro studies that go beyond state typologies of macro-economic policies
